Tears of The Mourners
by Marco LeonStrife
Summary: In the POV of Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, and Yuffie.


**Tears Of The Mourners**

(note, in this fanfic, Cid is a captain of a ship of his own, instead of a pilot)

Cloud

I, Cloud Strife was deeply confused. You see, there was Aerith, and there was Tifa, but I felt I had an obligation to Tifa, since she was my childhood friend. I knew I couldn't just leave Tifa for some new girl that just waltzes in my life, but I knew in my heart, that Aerith was the one for me. We were sailing to go to the Temple of the Ancients. Aerith was eager to go, and was very anxious, because she wanted to learn more about her past, and her Cetra heritage. So we sailed in Cid's ship to the Temple of the Ancients. We found it, and were approaching the land, we had about an hour till we reached land. Suddenly I felt a small hand on my shoulder. Aerith pulled me aside, and told me, "Cloud, I just have to tell you that no matter what happens, I'll always......." she never finished her sentence. I held her in my arms, and in a mad, desperate moment, our lips met. She then looked at my tearfully and kissed me back. We had been through so much together, from our first meeting in the church, to our date in the Golden Saucer. I held her for awhile, then...........and then Tifa walked in.

Tifa

We sailed toward the Temple of the Ancients, and I avoided Cloud. I was angry when I found out about their little "date". Cloud was my boyfriend! Things were just fine before Aerith came along. But I told myself to just forget about it, and hold the anger in. So I did that. Then Barret walked in and said, "Yo Tifa, what you doing just sittin' around doin' nuthin. Go get everyone together and you better make it fast!" Ouch, I thought as he left. This was one of Barret's bad days. He has good days, and he has bad days. I woke up Vincent, Cait Sith, and Red XIII, and went to the girls room, and woke up Yuffie. But Cloud and Aerith were missing! So I went to the supply room, and found them. Cloud and Aerith were hugging and kissing. Now if you were in that situation what would you do? I did what I felt necessary. Aerith had to go. Nobody comes between me and Cloud I thought, and lunged at Aerith.

Aerith

Cloud was holding me for awhile, and the intense fear of dying anytime soon was fainter. Yes, I was going to die. I just had a feeling about it. I didn't know how, I just knew that it would happen. I had felt the Cetra showed me that. Then Tifa walked in, gaped, and then lunged. I tripped her with my staff, kicked her in the stomach, and then aimed the butt of the Prism staff Cloud bought me for my birthday. I then aimed it at her face and said to her "Tifa, stop this, I can chop of your head with this." I felt a wave of guilt though for that though, and for stealing Cloud. When Tifa left angrily Cloud reached for me again, and I took myself away. "Cloud, this is wrong, Tifa is your match, the one you are meant for." I said wistfully, but surely. "Aerith, wait!" said Cloud, but I sadly ignored him. I went to the top of the deck. The sea air blew through my hair. Suddenly I saw a building that looked like a pyramid. We were near the temple of the ancients. I was excited, but the feeling that I was going to die was stronger, so strong I couldn't take it anymore, and threw up. I was sick. "Are you okay?" said Yuffie with a concerned look on her face. "Im fine" I lied and walked away. We reached land, as Cloud formed the parties. "Aerith and Vincent, come with me to the temple. Yuffie, Barret, and Cait Sith, scout the area for materia, items, people etc... Cid, Tifa, and Naniki, stay at the ship." Cloud said. Boy, did Tifa and Nanaki look steamed, but Cid didn't. Yuffie, Barret, and Cait, didn't mind, especially Yuffie, because she was anxious to search for materia. As for Vincent, he just stood there, looking emotionless, as usual. So we got some supplies, and the adventure began. 

Cloud

We began the long journey towards the Temple of the Ancients. We faced some monsters, and defeated them. Then we entered the forest. It was very difficult, since it was a very large forest, and there were these annoying insects that kept stinging us. We traveled until it was night, and decided to rest. We lighted a fire, and set up camp for the night. Vincent went to sleep, but Aerith and I couldn't. "I don't know why, but I love fire. Its so dark and mysterious. That's why I like the fire materia, and the summon Ifrit." said Aerith. I looked at her, she looked at me, and I kissed her again. I really did love her. Then I thought of Tifa, and felt guilty. Aerith must have sensed my thoughts, because she said "You're thinking of Tifa aren't you?" I nodded and said, "I don't love her, she's just a friend, then how come I feel so guilty, when you're the one I love?"

Aerith

"I don't love her, she's just a friend, then how come I feel so guilty, when you're the one I love?" Those words ran through me like magic. I was silent. I looked in the future, and I saw Cloud with Tifa. I guess it had to be like that. I turned away, so Cloud couldn't see me cry. Partly because I was so happy he loved me, and partly because he and I could never know love together. He went to sleep, and I started to sleep. and my last thought was, of how much I loved Cloud. 

Tifa

I spent the day in the ship and it truly sucked. There was nothing to do! I sit around, and look for trouble in the weather. Nanaki wasn't any better. Cid didn't mind though. He just flipped through a book he was reading. That night we took shifts to watch the weather, or anything else. When it was my shift, I made sure they were asleep, and I jumped out of the airplane. I would find that little Aerith, and wring her little neck. Oh, how I hated her. And Cloud. Like I said, things were a lot better B.A.(Before Aerith). I ran through the forest, and suddenly two dragons lept at me. I then remembered I left all my materia on board. I would fight, but I would die. The dragons would kill me.

Cloud

I looked at Aerith as she slept. She was so beautiful. I didn't deserve her. She deserved better. I lightly nudged her, she stirred, then woke up. Vincent was already up. It was odd, how he never really spoke. Aerith and I trudged on, and suddenly a golden pyramid stood before us. The Temple of the Ancients...............Aerith looked nervous, but excited. We didn't have the keystone thanks to that @@$##$ Cait Sith. It would've given me immense pleasure to kill him, but he had Marlene, and.............well, ever since I met Aerith, I've wanted to e a better man, to please her. That's why, well........I wanted to marry her. I have some gill saved up, and I plan on buying her a ring, and building a nice chocobo farm. Yes, a chocobo farm. We didn't have the keystone, so we would just have to make do. We climbed, and climbed the stairs, and it felt like hours(it actually took 2). I hadn't climbed that many stairs, since we went to rescue Aerith. We finally made it though, and Aerith then Aerith had an odd look on her face and collapsed. 

Aerith

I collapsed because of the knowledge of the Ancients I just felt flowing through me. I felt so......so....small. I sensed happiness, and joy, but most of all...fear. I didn't know why though. I was so nervous. For two reasons. I was anxious to learn about my Cetra heritage, and I knew I would die. We walked in, and there was Tseng! I remembered Tseng very well. Tseng, the man who had made several attempts at kidnapping me when I was but a child. He tried to do whatever he could to take me away from my adopted mother. He would lie, he would try to steal me in the night, he would try to pay Elmyra several thousand gil, but I always escaped and hid in the little area underneath the basement. I never liked Tseng, but I didn't hate him. He was just a man forced to obey orders from that.....President Shinra, oh wait, he was dead. Then Tseng slumped. I knew I should heal him, but I didn't. He gave us the keystone and Cloud put it in. We took an elevator down, and had a maze in front of us. We left it, after several difficult battles, and went into a place where boulders kept coming. We finally made it, and I saw the pool of the ancients, and it showed us Sephiroth and the Turks. Ah, so Elena was Tsengs new girl he used to bring this one redhead whenever he tried to kidnap me. Then we went into a clock room, and then we had to go into each room, and we did find some nice weapons, and then we finally went into a room, and there was another ghost of an Ancient, and we had to chase him, until finally the door opened, and he then cured us. We then found Sephiroth. He was smiling his cruel, evil smile. He then made Cloud act very, very strange, and he said he was going to gather a great deal of spirit energy, and put it in himself. He then made us fight a very difficult red dragon, and 5 Phoenix downs, 4 ethers, 6 Hi-potions, and 7 limit breaks, he was finally defeated. When we were done, Sephiroth was gone. But he had locked us in. We were trapped.

Tifa

The dragons had taken most of my HP. I had 188 HP left. I would die. I screamed. Suddenly Cait Sith came, and killed them using "Dice".I was very grateful. "Thanks," I said shakily. "No prob, Tiff. It was getting dull around here, so I decided to explore, and I found you. What were you doing? I thought you were supposed to stay with Red and Cid?" I couldn't tell him, so I lied. "Cloud uh, called me on the PHS phone, and told me he needed help." It wasn't a very good lie, but he apparently fell for it. I was greatly appreciative for what Cait Sith did, and he decided to come with me, and that was fine with me. He and I talked, and we had a lot in common, much more than I did with Cloud. He was nicer than I thought. 

Cloud

We were trapped, and then I noticed a floating model of the Temple. I went to it, and Aerith explained to me about the Black Materia. I knew one thing. I had to have it. But someone had to die for me to have it. Then the PHS phone rang, and Cait Sith explained that he would sacrifice himself for it, so I wistfully agreed, but it confuses me why a @$^\$&# like Cait, would do that.So that's what happened. We found a ghost, and he healed us, and we went to a room, where we were supposed to go, and a turtle looking creature appeared in the doorway, luckily, we had a great deal of good materia, and so we attacked him, and Vincent shot him in the head a few times, Aerith whacked him with her Prism staff, and I finished him off with Meteor Rain. Then Cait Sith appeared. Sigh.

Aerith

I didn't know how to react. True, I didn't like Cait, but I had forgiven him. I asked him before he went to see how compatible Cloud and I were, and he said we were perfect for each other, and I was so happy. But then I remembered that I would die. Then Tifa lunged at me again, but his time, everybody jumped on her, thus rendering her unconscious. And I(cruelly) used Mini on her, and stuck her in my pocket. Whenever she woke up, I slapped her, and she fainted again. So Cait Sith sacrificed himself, and I cried, and Cloud held me, and kissed me on the cheek, and I could not understand why Vincent looked angrily at Cloud as he did that, but he just did, but Cloud didn't notice. Then Sephiroth came, and we tried to stop him from taking the Black Materia, but he somehow forced Cloud to give it to him. I was furious. "Sephiroth, you...you..." but he then looked at me mockingly, and slashed my cheek, drawing blood I used cure, but it still stayed. Then I felt the Cetra tell me something, and I started saying what they said to me, in front of my startled group. "The damage Sephiroth inflicts cannot be undone. If he punches you, the bruise will never leave, in he slashes you, you will always bear the scar, if he kills you............you will stay dead." Then they stopped speaking through me, and the stunning realization was bestowed on me, and I started crying. The Cetra showed me my fate, that I would die by Sephiroths hand. And then Cloud started to whack me, but Vincent and Cait Sith stopped him. What? Cait Sith? Then he passed out.

Tifa

Let me ask you something. How would you like being 4 inches tall, and being in the person you hate most's(yes, I hate her more then Sephiroth now)pocket? I was miserable. And on top of that, Cait was dead, and I was really starting to like him. Well, I managed to wake up, and then I saw Cloud holding Aerith, and passionately kissing her. I was ticked off. Then, I saw Cloud let go of that whiny Aerith, and try to stab her. Do it Cloud, please, I thought. But then Vincent, and what? Cait Sith! He had a slightly new look, but he was fine. But they unfortunately stopped him, and he was unconscious. I then started to do some thinking. I was being wrong. I hated the man I used to love, plus kind Aerith. She removed me from her pocket, unshrunk me, and I just ran out of the remains of the temple, and I went over and leaned on a tree. I was being evil. I was denying two people that were supposed to be together the right to do that. I decided to just let them be. It would be hard, but I needed to. Besides, Vincent was better looking................

Cloud

I was unconscious. I then had a dream, and in the dream, I saw my beautiful Aerith. She was looking at me, and she seemed to tell me that everything was all right, and to basically come to the Sleeping Forest. Then the evil Sephiroth appeared, and I woke up with a jerk, my covers were covered with sweat. I was in the inn at Gongaga. I then looked around. There were Tifa and Barret with concerned looks on their faces. I got up, and I just hugged both of them. Of course Barret punched me off, but Tifa just smiled, and I looked at her...... she had changed for the better. And Barret talked to me about dreams, because I told them both about mine, and then Barret looked at Tifa and said, "Then Aerith must've gone to Bone Villiage." I then remembered a girl kissing me. It had to be Aerith. Tifa was too shy, and Yuffie...... "What, where is Aerith?" I said with concern. "Cloud," said Tifa, "She's gone." 

I nearly exploded, " GONE?!" Tifa and Barret nodded, "Why would she go? That doesn't matter. Lets go to Bone Villiage." Then we ran out, stocked up on some supplies, went aboard the S.S. Highwind, and sailed off. 

Aerith

Finally, I made it to Bone Villiage. I just transported myself to Bone Villiage. Yes, I transported. The Cetra were only allowed to use this power in the most desperate hour. The Cetra just told me to go to Bone Villiage, I knew I would return further instructions later. I transported myself, climbed up the ladder, and despite the many warnings and shouts I was getting to not go in there, I still entered. I ran through the forest, and I sang to it the Song of the Lunar Harp. My birthmother Ifalna would often sing it to me in my cradle. It woke the forest up. I then remembered the summon materia in my pocket that I had purchased for Cloud on his upcoming birthday. It was the summon Kjata. I laid in on the ground, with a note. Then, after a days journey, I finally reached the City of the Ancients. The knowledge that flooded into me, the pain of them.....and then they showed me what I had to do. They showed me that I was going to stop Meteor by praying for Holy. Only I could as I was the only Cetra. I was going to die there......

Cloud

We sailed as fast as we could. I had to get to my darling. Oh Aerith.... I chose Yuffie and Tifa to accompany me. They were the strongest, them and Vincent, but I decided to take Yuffie. What if Sephiroth was there? After two hours we reached Bone Villiage. We wanted to go to the forest immediately. But unfortunately we had no lunar harp. We paid some men to dig for it, and the found it for us. We played it and ran into the forest. I saw some summon materia! A note was under it. "Cloud, your birthday is tomorrow, and so I purchased you this materia. It is very good materia. I love you Cloud, and I don't know if I will ever see you again, but if I don't, I just want you to know Cloud, that I love you. I started to fall in love with you the day you bought a flower from me. Happy Birthday darling, Aerith." I looked at it, and I felt my stomach tighten. We ran and ran and ran until we reached the City of the Ancients. I was very nervous, what if Sephiroth is there, I thought?

Yuffie

We entered the City of the Ancients. I felt like panic, I don't know like why though. So we like walked in, and I didn't really care what it looked like y'know? I just wanted some like good materia. We looked around, and there were three passageways, and so like, first we went to the left, and then we like saw this one house y'know? It was like totally like not cool, the like decorator must've like been like colorblind like y'know? So then I saw like this neat mirror, and it like flashed, and there were like these strange words like y'know? So we like left, and went to the right, and like there were two more like vegetable shaped houses like y'know? So we went inside one, and there were like three comfortable beds like y'know? Ooooooh, materia! Darn, just a boring ENEMY-SKILL. I took it anyways without Cloud ad Tifa looking. Cloud was like cute and all, but I dunno, I think he and Aerith would be better. Besides, I like already had a boyfriend in Wutai. I was just going to use this team, and like steal all of their like cool materia, like y'know? So then I say, "Hey, like look at all these like cool beds! I get the water-bed, and fell asleep. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, ooooh, Im in materia land ooohh! Mastered Materia on all the trees! OOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!! Oh neato, a mastered ULTIMA OOOOHHH!!!! Im about to grab it, grab it OOOOOOOOOOHH! WHAT?!!!!!! AAAAGGGGHHHHH Stop beating me up you mean gerbils AAGGGHHHH!!!! 

"WAKE UP YUFFIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!" shouted Cloud. "Why'd ya have to do that? I was in Materia land!" "Aerith is here, and so is Sephiroth. We are going to settle this here, and now." said Cloud grimly. 

Cloud

We ran and ran to the center of the city. Oh Aerith.....If Sephiroth did anything to her, I would...We found yet another vegetable shaped house. What was up with that? We went up the stairs, and I saw a green glow. Materia! Yuffie saw it first though, but I was faster. I grabbed it, and then decided to jump through the center of the stairs. I have no idea why, I just did tough, and then I saw a staircase. We all went down and...Aerith!!!!!!! I ran, and ran and ran. I then ran up the stairs leaving Tifa and Yuffie behind. I jumped up the boulders, and she didn't turn her head. I ran up the stairs, and she still didn't turn her head as if she was in a trance. Then, I changed.

Aerith

Cloud wanted me to do something, but I couldn't. If I did anything, then everything I tried to do would be in vain. He came to me and pulled out his sword. He then raised it. I did not think I would die by his hand.......Oh no, I had to keep praying! Yuffie and Tifa stopped him luckily though. He then looked sick, and then....I kept praying, and then looked up. Cloud looked at me, and I smiled, then.........SEPHIROTH!!!!! I had to keep praying as fast as I could. He crashed down, and stabbed me, my bow fell out of my hair, the only memory of my mother Ifalna. It was in my pocket when Ifalna found me. I had worn it ever since, and my materia fell, and I looked at Cloud smiled, a smile that told him I loved him and then......I had to stay alive for a few more moments... 

Cloud

NO!!!!!!! This couldn't be happening. "Aerith!!!!!!!" I screamed. Nothing. She smiled, and died. "This can't be real, No, It can't be!" I ran to her to catch her before she fell, and held her still warm body against mine. She then whispered in my ear, "Cloud, I love you, I have always and always will love y..." She then died. No.....then something odd happened. Tears formed in my eyes. Tears? I had never cried, not even when my hometown was destroyed. No!!! This wasn't real, it couldn't be. I could not accept the fact that the woman I loved more than anything else in the universe was dead! No........ Sephiroth went and said something about the Planet, but I didn't care. All that mattered was that Aerith was dead. I would not accept it. I told him to shut up. I hated him, hated him with a fiery, burning passion. I told him with tears in my eyes, "The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don't mean a thing." He looked at me with his smile, and I wanted to kill him even more. "Aerith is gone.  
Aerith will no longer laugh, cry......or get angry." Never to see her smile, hear her laugh, feel her petal soft lips against mine, hold her, and tell her that all would be well. "What about us........what are WE supposed to do?" I said. I held her even closer now. "What about my pain?" I was shaking now and weeping uncontrollably. "My fingers are tingling. My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning!" I was shaking still. Then Sephiroth said, "What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me you have feelings too?" How could that little .......say something like that, and that idiotic at a time like this? I slowly let her to the ground. "Of course! Who do you think I am!?" He was laughing now. I hated him even more if that was even possible. "Ha ha ha........Stop acting as if you were sad. There's no need to act as though you're angry either" I lunged at him with my sword. Of course I had feelings, I loved Aerith more than life itself, how could he say that that was all a lie! He floated up though, before I could do anything. "Because Cloud, You are......." And then he flew away and left us to fight his deranged mother. She came, and we attacked her quickly, and then I heard her voice telling me, "Because you are.........a puppet." I was confused, "Im....... a puppet?" I hated her. Hated her son, hated her, without Aerith, how could life be even worth living. I had never loved someone so much, and now she was gone. 

Yuffie

I looked at her, and I cried. Cried for Aerith. Cried for Cloud, cried for the loss of this wonderful woman. I looked at Cloud through my tear-filled eyes, and I felt so bad for him, and I cried and cried, and ran away.

Tifa

I looked at her, and I was sorry that she was gone. She was starting to be like a sister to me. She was Cloud's love, and now she was gone. Tears filled my eyes. I put my hand on her shoulder, and just looked at her, wanting to know if any trace of her was still alive. None. I looked like an idiot. I cried and ran away.

Cloud

No.....I held her in my arms, still weeping and lost track of time. Hours could have past. Days even, yet I held her in my arms. "Aerith, please come back. Please. You can't leave me. Finally, I felt like there was something telling me, "Cloud, I love you, and don't want you to grieve for me. Please. If you love me, then you will always stay true to me. Please." I picked up her deceased body, took her to the lake in front of the vegetable house. I held her hand, looked at her radiant face, still smiling, and I just held her and cried and cried. Then, I let her go. I contemplated suicide right there and then if front of Cid, Barret, Tifa, Vincent, Yuffie, Red XIII and 

Cait Sith, but no I thought. Aerith wanted me to go on.. Tifa, Barret, Yuffie and Red XIII had tears in their eyes still. Cid took off his hat, and turned his head around, so I didn't know if he was crying or not. Vincent just stood there motionless. I looked at her and whispered, "Aerith, you will always be my first love. None can ever take your place in my heart. You showed me what love is. If not for you, I probably would've killed myself long ago......Thank you my beautiful Aerith. I let her down, but kept one thing. Her ribbon. I would always keep it. Never would it leave me. She went down, and down. She was still smiling.......even at the very end.

Aerith

I entered the lifestream. I was dead. Cloud mourned for me as did the rest of them. Cloud could revive me. There was a way, if only he would remember...... Till then my beloved.....those were my last thoughts.


End file.
